News
MTN customers to browse for free with opera mini and opera news
MTN Ghana and Opera, one of the world’s leading browser developers have partnered to give Opera Mini and Opera News users on the MTN network up to 50 MB of free browsing every day.
The telecom service provider in a statement issued on Tuesday, said, “Through this innovative partnership, MTN Ghana and Opera are joining forces to keep millions of Ghanaians online so that they can read news for free, access their favourite websites without data cost limitations and most importantly, keep them connected with families and friends during the period of COVID-19.”
Opera News is the most popular news app in Africa and was the most downloaded news app in Ghana in May 2020 according to AppAnnie.
The Opera News app provides users with personalised content stream that serves top news, trendy videos and other daily content from more than 40 different categories.
Opera Mini is a small but powerful browser offering unique features that no other browser available in digital app stores can offer. The browser is equipped with data saving, offline file sharing, a smarter download manager, and a native ad-blocker.
It is the browser of choice for over 100 million people around the world who choose it over pre-installed browsers on Android mobile devices.
“To enjoy the benefits of the free browsing package, MTN customers will have to upgrade their Opera Mini browser, or download Opera News App from the Google Play Store.
“The free daily data covers browsing only while video streaming and file download will attract normal data charges,” the statement added.
Commenting on the benefits of the offer, Mr Samuel Addo, General Manager of MTN Business in Ghana said, “The partnership with Opera comes at a time when MTN is creating opportunities for customers to have free access to educational sites.
“We are very happy that the free browsing on Opera Mini and Opera News comes to complement what is already being done,” he said.
MTN’s partnership with Opera is one of many interventions put in place by the company to support customers in times of the coronavirus pandemic.
Some of the interventions include the provision of free internet connectivity to over 100 educational sites for private and public schools students across the country.
MTN Business offers solutions that enable individuals and businesses to access telecommunication services. Some of the services include Fibre to the home services, cloud services and provision of high speed 4G devices such as MTN Turbonet.
MTN Ghana is the market leader in the increasingly competitive mobile telecommunications industry in Ghana, offering subscribers a range of exciting options under Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go Services and Mobile Financial Services.
The company has committed itself to delivering reliable and innovative services that provide value for subscribers in Ghana’s telecommunications market.
Since its entry into Ghana in 2006, MTN has continuously invested in expanding and modernising its network in order to offer superior services to a broad expanse of the nation.
Opera is a global web innovator. Opera’s browsers, news products and fintech solutions are the trusted choice of more than 350 million people worldwide. Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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